It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year - 2024 Version
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| Avatar of the author making important announcements on Facebook. |
Nothing says that Spring is coming like the planting of tomato and pepper seeds. And for me, that time is never soon enough. My January and early February journals are full of admonishments over the years that shout, "Do Not Plant Tomato Seeds Yet!" This is because, while down with the flu one year, I planted tomato seeds in December - in my defense, it was because I was desperate for something to remind me that Spring would return, and that I would not be ill forever. They were the perfect size and stature to go outside in February. We have ice storms in February. And temperatures sometimes dip down into the single digits. ... Potting up 30 tomato plants and giving them enough light to spend a total of more than 120 days from seedling to going outside was a challenge and chore that I don't want to repeat. Leggy, sad looking tomato plants went out into the garden in April. Good thing you can bury their stems, but the damage was already done. Even though we have a long growing season, many of the tomato plants were stunted by the abuse I had inflicted. While almost all of them produced some fruit, most did not yield as bountifully as they could have. Except for cherry tomatoes. Nothing seems to stop a cherry tomato plant. Especially Yellow Pear.
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| Some of the tomatoes from the Class of 2024 |
I sow my tomatoes 4 seeds per cell, and I usually get near perfect germination. A "12 pack" seed starting tray gives me nearly 50 tomato plants. I will plant more this year, for as you may notice in the photo, I only have a few varieties - and a lot of San Marzano (that "Lungo 2" is a San Marzano, too!) This is because I am a seed hoarder, and when looking through my pile of seeds, I discovered that I had several packs from different years. Tomatoes are pretty forgiving - I've successfully grown plants from seeds over 5 years old. So I have seeds from 2019-2024 - I am growning them out to save seed fro them. Perhaps establish my own, locally adapted San Marzanos. I could taste the sundried (haha - dehydrator dried - too humid to dry them in the sun here in The South!) flavor of the San Marzanos of late June, even as I placed the seeds in the potting mix.
Speaking of saving tomato seeds, I have the descendants of Roma VF sauce tomatoes from a Burpee packet of seeds from when my kids were little (my oldest granddaughter is 18 as of this writing.) Each year I grow out some seeds and save some seeds from them. They have moved across the country with me. The last 5 or 6 generations have grown up, fruited, and set seed in Middle Tennessee - so though they came from West Coast roots, they are now firmly adapted to The Mid-South. Like me.
A childhood memory that is, perhaps, what imprinted tomatoes on me forever, was a set of cherry tomatoes that had a red, pear-shaped fruit. I want to say they were, at the time, called "Mexican Hat" - but they were likely just regular Red Pear that were named something fancy back then. They grew under the kitchen window, along the side of our driveway. They were my favorite after school snack. Imagine my delight when returning from vacation to find that they had launched themselves across the driveway and created a cherry tomato jungle.
Tomatoes are usually self-pollenating, meaning that they will usually self-pollenate and that their seeds will come true to type. Bot not necessarily so in The South. I believe we have every insect known to North America in my back four acres - and they all want to dine on my garden - or pollenate. So while you don't have to separate tomato plants by miles like squash, it is still best not to have different varieties growing next to each other if you plan to save seeds from them and have a decent chance of having the next generation be true-to-type. With so many tomato plants (and in truth, with my lack of planning) I often just plant everything where they land. So, apparently, I will have a few garden beds dedicated to San Marzano. Gee, darn. More past tomatoes for drying or making into sauce. Such a terrible problem to have.
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| I feed bunnies and squirrels with my tomatoes, too. |
So yes, I love me a good tomato sandwich, and I love seeing the tomatoes sprawl in the garden, but what I love the most is the connections from generation to generation that they represent to me. Maybe some day I will tell you the story about why I grow the Opalka variety of tomato. I have it on very good authority that it is the best tasting tomato. I really should be saving some seed from those plants this year, too.
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| June 2023: Thyme, Basil, Snow Peas, unripe pepper (maybe a Sheep Nose Pimento), unknown orange and red cherry tomatoes - living the good life on the homestead! |
Author's Note:
Wild Blackberry Apothecary is the dream of a one-woman homesteader in the middle of Middle Tennessee, USA. I currently work full time and homestead part time with 4 dogs, 12-30 chickens, several domestic blackberry and raspberry plants - and thousands of wild blackberry vines that are trying ot take over every inch that they can. My husband of 30+ years does not homestead, but indulges me. As we look towards our retirement years, we hope to further develop our property and perhaps add more rescue dogs, more blackberries and trees, and have me move to homesteading full time.
Disclaimer:
It is the policy of Wild Blackberry Apothecary to not advise or recommend herbs or herbal concoctions for medicinal, nutritional or health user. This information is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered as a recommendation and an endorsement of any particular medical or health treatment. The reader should do their own research and consult with a licensed health care provider concerning their medical, nutritional and health care concerns. In addition, some plants are poisonous or can have serious adverse health effects. It is the responsibility of the reader to conduct their own research and to ensure for themselves the proper identification and use of all plants. Always seek the guidance of your qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or medical conditions.
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